Device for transferring a scale-shaped flow consisting of printed products

ABSTRACT

A downward-leading step is disposed between a first and second conveying track, where a first scale-shaped flow is spread open and transferred into a second, deflected scale-shaped flow. Pressure rollers are disposed ahead of and behind the step, which rest against the top of the first or second scale-shaped flow and constitute means for aligning the second scale-shaped flow. In this way the exact evenness and directional consistency of the deflected scale-shaped flow is ensured without a lateral guidance panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for transferring a first scale-shapedflow consisting of printed products and conveyed on a first conveyingtrack to a second scale-shaped flow conveyed on a second conveying trackand extending obliquely in respect to the first scale-shaped flow, withmeans for aligning the second scale-shaped flow straight in thedirection of its conveyance.

Devices of this type are generally known. They have a lateral panel foraligning the printed products of the second scale-shaped flow, whichextends parallel with the second conveying track and along which theprinted products glide, their edges resting against it. Sometimesbrushes or rollers are used in place of the lateral panel. If theprinted products consist of printed products which are folded insideeach other and are laterally offset in respect to each other, the edgesof the printed products are damaged by the impact against the lateralpanel and the printed products which are folded inside each other aredisplaced in respect to each other. Because of this the further,subsequent processing can be hampered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the invention to provide a device of the typementioned which avoids the said disadvantages and therefore permits aconsiderably more gentle treatment of printed products conveyed in thescale-shaped flow. In spite of this the device is intended to befunctioning dependably and to be advantageous regarding its manufactureand maintenance.

The object is attained in a device in that a downward leading step isdisposed between the first and second conveying tracks, and that themeans for the straight alignment of the second scale-shaped flow guidethe first and second scale-shaped flow from above. In the device inaccordance with the invention, the first and second scale-shaped flowsare guided from above so that a lateral buffer panel or the like is notrequired. The lateral edges of the second scale-shaped flow aretherefore free and are not stressed. Thus, the edges of the printedproducts cannot be damaged and the lateral offset of the printedproducts cannot be changed. A step is disposed between the two conveyingtracks, which temporarily spreads open the second scale-shaped flow inthis area. It now has been surprisingly found that this spreadingconsiderably eases the guidance of the printed products, and even withlarge size printed products even makes such guidance possible.Presumably the reason for this is that the printed products are moremovable in the area of the step and lateral forces here cannot result inan interference with the scale-shaped flow. It is therefore essentialthat the direction and exact lateral evenness of the diverted printedproducts independently of the conveying speed are not changed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described in detailbelow by means of the drawings. Shown are in:

FIG. 1, a partial view of a device in accordance with the invention, and

FIG. 2, a further partial view of the device in accordance with theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The device has a first conveying track 1 with at least two conveyorbelts 6 extending parallel to each other in the direction of the arrow17. The belts 6 are driven in a manner known per se by a drive, notshown here, by means of a shaft 16 and at the front end are respectivelypassed over a roller 8. The endless belts 6 can be telescopicallyadjusted in such a way that a front edge K of the conveying path can beparallel adjusted. Such telescoping belts are well known per se. Ascale-shaped flow (first imbricated flow) 2 of printed products 2a canbe conveyed in the direction of the arrow 17. The printed products arenewspapers or magazines, for example, which consist of parts which aredisposed laterally offset. As can be seen, the scale-shaped flow isconveyed essentially diagonally in respect to the printed products 2a.Other suitable conveying means instead of the belts 6 are alsoconceivable for conveying the scale-shaped flow 2.

Three pressure rollers 5 are respectively disposed above a belt 6a ashort distance behind the edge K and seated on shafts 5a. The shafts 5aare seated, adjustable in the long direction of the belts 6, in a frame4. In this way, when the reversing rollers 8 are displaced, the rollers5 can also be displaced by the same amount, or they can be displacedindependently of the rollers 8. The rollers 5 are pressed against thetop of the scale-shaped flow 2 or the belts 6a by means of a spring, notshown here. Thus the rollers 5 are pressure rollers. The rollers 5 aremoved around the shaft 5a in the direction of the arrow 21 because ofthe adhesion between the rollers 5 and the scale-shaped flow or thebelts 6. However, an embodiment by means of which the rollers 5 aredriven via the shaft 5a is also conceivable. In any case, thecircumferential speeds of the rollers 5 are the same as the conveyingspeed of the scale-shaped flow 2. The rollers 5 cause the printedproducts 2a to be guided over a step (of stepped region) 20 andunderneath rollers 10 which also turn passively. Step 20, in which theprinted products are spread open, is disposed between the rollers 5 and10. Spread-open printed products are indicated with the referencenumeral 3b in FIG. 1. A bent pipe 24, attached on a stationary frame 9,is disposed next to each roller 5. The pipes 24 guide the printedproducts 2a downward over the step 20 against the rollers 10.

The rollers 10 are part of a second conveying track 23 which conveys theprinted products in the direction of the arrow 18. On the secondconveying track 23 a second scale-shaped (imbicated) flow 3 is formedfrom the printed product 2a, which is deflected by 45°, for example, inrespect to the first scale-shaped flow 2. The printed products 3a ofthis deflected scale-shaped flow 3 have edges 3c which are arrangedstraight in relation to each other and parallel to the conveyingdirection 18.

The conveying track 23 has an endless belt 25 of comparable width, whichis driven by means of a shaft 13 and passed around a parallel shaft 14.The conveying speed of the conveying track 23 in the conveying direction18 is equal to the conveying speed of the first conveying track 1. Therollers 10 are seated laterally adjustable on a shaft 12a of a frame 12.The rollers 10 are pressed downward against the the top of thescale-shaped flow 3 by means of a plate spring 11, also housed on theframe. The shaft 12a is fixed on a rod 12b of the frame 12 andadjustable in the directions of the two-headed arrow 22. At the sametime the rollers 10 can be displaced in the directions of the two-headedarrow 22. The rollers 10 are also pressure rollers and are preferablyturned passively on the shaft 12a by means of adhesion in accordancewith the conveying speed of the belt 25. The rollers 10 grasp theprinted products 3b guided by the rollers 5 and press them against theupper surface 25a of the belt 25. It is assured by means of thecorresponding adhesion between the surface 25a and the printed products3a that the latter take on the movement direction of the belt 25 and arecorrespondingly deflected. In addition, the rollers 10 prevent theprinted products 3a from being laterally displaced on the upper surface25a. It is assured in this way that the edges 3c of the scale-shapedflow 3 are aligned straight in respect to each other, as mentionedabove. It is essential here that the edges 3c are not laterallystressed, at least during the deflection. This also holds true for theopposite ends 3d. In this way the rollers 5 and 10 constitute means forguiding the printed products. The rollers 5 and 10 can be replaced byother suitable pressure means, for example belts.

The distance A between the rollers 5 and 10 is adapted to the length ofthe printed products 2a. The distance A can be equal to the length of aprinted product 2a. However, this distance can also be shorter, so thata printed product is grasped in the area of the step 20 by the rollers 5as well as the rollers 10. Thus the distance A can be somewhat greateror shorter than the length of the printed products. This distance can beset exactly and fixed by displacing the shaft 12a on the rod 12b.

Printed products of various formats can be deflected by means of thedevice in accordance with the invention. For example, printed productshaving the format F, indicated by dash-dotted lines in FIG. 2, can alsobe deflected. With all formats it is possible to displace thescale-shaped flow 3 laterally in one or the other direction bydisplacing the edge K. The rollers 10 are then correspondingly displacedby a corresponding displacement on the shaft 12a. Once in the positionthey have been placed, the rollers 10 can of course be fixed againstaxial displacement by means not shown here. The frames 4, 9 and 12required for seating and maintaining the conveying tracks 1 and 23 haveonly been sketched in here, since the construction of such frames isobvious to one skilled in the art. Suitable driving mechanisms for thebelts 6 and 12 are also well known to one skilled in the art and neednot be explained here.

We claim:
 1. A device for transferring a first imbricated flow ofprinted products into a second imbricated flow of printed products,comprising:a first conveying track conveying the first imbricated flowof printed products; a second conveying track conveying the secondimbricated flow of printed products, being arranged on a level lowerthan the first conveying track, and extending obliquely relative to thefirst imbricated flow; a stepped region separating the first conveyingtrack from the second conveying track, and joining a downstream end ofthe first imbricated flow with an upstream end of the second imbricatedflow, the stepped region defining a drop edge; and means arranged in thestepped region and comprising a first alignment device located in frontof the stepped region, and a second alignment device located behind thestepped region and arranged behind the first alignment device relativeto a direction of flow, said first alignment device being locateddirectly adjacent to the drop edge for guiding the printed productsto-the second alignment device, said means for aligning the secondimbricated flow straight in its direction of conveyance, said meansoperatively acting upon the downstream end of the first imbricated flowand upon the upstream end of the second imbricated flow.
 2. A device asdefined in claim 1, wherein said aligning means comprises at least onepressure roller.
 3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein the at leastone pressure roller adheres to the printed product to be passivelyrotated.
 4. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the second alignmentdevice comprises at least one pressure roller, the first alignmentdevice guiding the printed products downward towards the at least onepressure roller.
 5. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the secondalignment device is adjustable in at least one of a direction towardsthe first alignment device and parallel to the stepped region.
 6. Adevice as defined in claim 1, wherein the first conveying trackcomprises a plurality of belts extending parallel to each other, atleast two of the plurality of belts cooperating with the aligning means.7. A device for transferring a first imbricated flow of printed productsinto a second imbricated flow of printed products, comprising:a firstconveying track conveying the first imbricated flow of printed products;a second conveying track conveying the second imbricated flow of printedproducts, being arranged on a level lower than the first conveyingtrack, and extending obliquely relative to the first imbricated flow; astepped region separating the first conveying track from the secondconveying track, and joining a downstream end of the first imbricatedflow with an upstream end of the second imbricated flow; means arrangedin the stepped region and comprising a first alignment device comprisinga plurality of pressure rollers located in front of the stepped region,and a second alignment device located behind the stepped region andarranged behind the first alignment device relative to a direction offlow, said means for aligning the second imbricated flow straight in itsdirection of conveyance, said means operatively acting upon thedownstream end of the first imbricated flow and upon the upstream end ofthe second imbricated flow; and a guide device arranged next to saidpressure rollers and extending over the stepped region.